Trap.



C. 3.- LANTIS.

TRAP. APPHCATION FILED NOV. :5. 1910.

Patented Ju ne 26, 1917.

WITNESSES 5 2 m 2/ m A TTORNE Y8 I Application mee-riiovemlier 15 fiei'a-n seriai N62 131355.

.JAMQS -eLQfiG I 6F CHAPMAN, KANSAS.

.mannamag asset a Bezit knownthat-IE,(LeanJ.-LxNT1s,ia.c1t1- i zen ofthe; United States; iand a I resident of '1 1 Chapmangiiirthe? county;of Dicldnsom {and the ends of the body.

State of Kansas, have invented certain-new and'ii'seful Improvements. inTraps, of whlch the following is a specifications 4+. 1

My inventlonri ssazniinipiovementiin traps, I

- one end with 'aradial-arm and has for its objentztoipr'ovide aati'apespecially designed for use in trapping gophers and like burrowinganiii'ials,' where1na 'su-p porting frame is provided together'with a.

spring operated transfixing member movable with respect to thesupporting frame, together with trigger mechanism for normally holdingthe transfixing member in inoperative position, and adapted to bereleased by the movement of the animal passing the trap.

In the present embodiment of the inven-. tion,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of setting the trap,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trap,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.- is a section on the lineH of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4:, Figs. 3, 4: and 5 lookingin the direction of the arrows adjacent to the respective lines.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a supporting frame, abracket of substantially U-shape and consisting of a body 1, and arms 2extending laterally from The transfixing member is a fork orsubstantially U-shaped member comprising a body 3 and arms or tines 4extending laterally from the body and pointed at their free ends, andthese arms or tines are mounted to slide in openings in the arms 2 ofthe supporting bracket. A third transfixing arm 5 is arranged betweenthe arms 4., and is connected to the body 3 by means of a loop 6 formedin the body and engaged by an eye 7 on the transfixing arm. A coilspring 8 encircles the tine 5 and is connected at one end to the eye 7,and at the other to an eye 9 on the upper member or arm tines 4: asclearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4:-

f rate'nted June 26.191] 7.

The tine 5 is termediate its ends, and this notch is adapted tolie-engaged by al'atehmember 11 journaled bearings 12. ngt'he upper arm2 of the suppm-t-ing frames? I i ::The portion; wliioh .-engages notch-10,

arm 2 of the supporting frame and hinged 3/ to a supporting yoke 20'connected with the body of the frame. The body portion of the yokeextends below the arm 2, and the trip plate is hinged thereto asindicated at 21-, in such manner that the said plate may swing towardthe arm 2 or away therefrom. This trip plate is arranged between thetines 4 and it has an opening 22 through which the tine 5 may pass.

The body 1 of the supporting frame is provided with openings 23 throughwhich may be driven stakes 24:, to anchor the trap to the ground, in themanner shown in Fig. l, at the mouth of the burrow 25 through which thegopher will pass.

The operation of the improved trap is as follows: In order to set thesame, the fork is moved against the resistance of the spring 8, untilthe offset portion of the latch 11 will engage the notch 10 of the tine5. The arm 13 of the said latch member is then by the catch 14:, and thefree end of the catch is engaged with the notch 15 of the trigger 16..When 50 engaged, the trip plate '19 will be held substantially parallelwith the adjacent arm 2 of the supporting frame, and it will be evidentthat the least upward movement of the said trip plate will swing thetrigger 16 away from the free end of the catch 14, thus releasing thesaid catch and the arm 13 of the latch member. The latch member willswing under the influence of the spring 8, and the tines of thetransfixin member will be driven violently toward the trip plate 19.When the trap is set in the manner shown in Fig. 1, a very slightengagement between the body of the gopher engaged provided with a notchinthe gopher.

1 shaped supporting bracket," atrans and the trip plate 19 release thetransotthebi acket, trigger mechanism for holdfixing member and cause itto pierce the the transfixing member with the spring 20 body of thegopherf tension," said-mechanism comprising The objection to theordinary gopher trap ,an elbow lever having one of its arms pivotis,that they will be pushed full of dirt'b*"""ed to the bracket, a tripplate connected the gopher, springing the. trap before "the Sv'vith theother and arranged below the animal gets near enough to be caught. Withbracket, said first named arm "ofthe elbow 5 the present trap-the of thetransfixing lererhavlng a notch, a catch pivoted to the member willpierce this dirt and will transfix bracket and engaging the notch, a rodjournaled on the bracket and having an offset fportiong" the centraltine having a vnotch for engagement bythe said ofi'set portion, and 30'saida-rod"having alateral arm for engaging I claim;

- A. trap comprising a vsubstantiallgx' U- member having guided movementlongitudi- 'the.catch'.-- I nally of the saidbraeket, saidmemberihav- 1a CARL JAMES LANTIS. -ing a central and lateral tines 'slidable' inWitnesses:

the bracket, aspringacting-normally 'to v WALTER N. WILKINS, force thetransfixi-ng Zmember longitudinally I Rmn W. LEMON.

copies of this patent may be obtained or five cents each: by 'aildressing the Commissioner of .Patents. Washington, I). O.

